Card system.



N. L. MELAN ON.

CARD SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED B30219, 1908.

Patented Feb. 1, 1910.

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N. L. MELANQON. CARD SYSTEM.

APPLICATION TILED DEG. 19,'1908.

7948,235 Patented Feb. 1, 1910..

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for use. taken on a line 1n rear ofthe back of the latter being removed.Fig. 5 is "a perspective view of the follower.

Unreal) STAllES PATEN caries.

NICHOLS L. HELANQON, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Fen-1,1910.

Application filed December 19, 1908. Serial No. 468,372.

means, and in which the cards are also adjustably'strung upon a holderwherebiy they may be separated without removal or in spection.

One object of the invention is to provide a novel construction of filecase and mode of mountin the cards therein whereby the operation 0applying, removing and separating the cards for inspection is renderedeasier and more convenient, and whereby any card may be partiallywithdrawn for inspection or to be written upon without loss of place orthe necessity of inserting a place indicator between the adjacent cards.

Another object of the invention is to provide the case with a portionwhich may be letdown to serveas a desk upon which the partiallywithdrawn cards may be rested for convenience in writing thereon, andfurther to provide a novel construction of follower or clamp for holdingthe cards in compact form.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of thefeatures of construction, combination and arrangement of partshereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

igure 1 is a perspective view of a card case embodying my invention.Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same on a line between adjacentcards.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the hinged side let down Fig. 4 isa view similar to Fig. 2 follower, the

Fig. 6

1s a face view of one of the cards and its holder, showing in dottedlines the opera- .tion of removin the card. Fig. 7 tion on the line .7of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 is a secdesignates a file.case, drawer'or similar receptacle of conventional oblong rectangularform, and of proper width to accommodate the record and index cards 2,each of which is preferably provided at its upper edge and one end withspaces 3 and to contain the name of the person or firm or properheadings indicating the purpose or subject mat: ter'of the card. Eachcard is also provided with longitudinal columns or s aces 5 for use inconnection with the headmg 4. The;

upper heading 3 is designed foruse in the usual way to enable anyparticular card to be found for withdrawal by sliding the cards forwardand upward in the case in the usual way.

The case is op en at one side and provided with projections (i at thelower edges of its 'front and rear or end walls and extend' laterally.beyond the adjacent side of the bottom of the case. This open side ofthe case is adapted to be closed by a door or letdown side 7 hinged orpivoted at its lower edge to the bottom, as at 8, and. adapted to closeagainst the end walls, the lower corner portions of said side beingprovided with notches or recesses 9 to receive and accommodate theprojections 6 when said door is closed and to allow the door to bearsquarely against the bottom and end walls. in rod 10 extendslongitudinally at the open sie of the case between and is supported bythe projections 6, whichlatter are provided with openings 11 to receivethe ends of the rod and permit the latter to be slidably inserted andremoved. The inner .face of the door 7 is formed with a longitudinalgroove 12 to receive the rod and the card holding devices mountedthereon, as hereinafter described, when the door is closed.

The cards are pivotally, slidably and removably mounted within the caseupon individual holding devices, each consistin of a rod or stem 13 bentat its lower end to provide a hook or eye 14. slidably and pivotallyengaging the rod 10. These card holddevices are thus arranged at theopen side of the case, and they are normally disposed in a verticalposition. have a loose engagement with the ro 10 to also permit thecards to be tilted forwardly from a vertical position to facilitaterelative adjustment of said cards and their inspec- A retain- The e es14.

tion in the ordinary manner, as well 0 enable any card to be grasped forremoval, as hereinafter explained. Each card is provided the endopposite the heading iwit a fold or sleeve 15 to slidably enga e itsholding rod 13, and said rodis of on icient length to project at itsfree end beyond the upper edge of the card'so thatit may be convenientlyengaged by the finger and manipulated. It will be apparent that thecards thus'retained in position upon the holder rod 10 in such a manneras to permit them to be slid backwardly and forwardly on said rod, andthat the slidable connection of each card with its holder adapts it tobe conveniently applied and removed at any time by vertical movement andwithout the necess'ity'of opening the door 7. Each card may also beswung outwardly when the door is opened upon its holding rod whichpivots on the rod 10, b engagmgthe upper end of the holding ro anddownwardly. nection or" the card with its holding rod adapt the rod andcard to be rested when swung outward upon the open door, as shown inFig. 3, so that the door may be employed as a desk to allow indorsementsor entries to be conveniently made on the face of the and pulling itoutwardly card without the necessity of wholly detaching the card fromthe cabinet, When in this position the proper place or position of thecard with respect to the other cards is preserved by the eye 1& of itsholder, which keeps the adjacent cards spaced so as to allow theoutwardly swung card to be restored to its normal position withfacility, this obviating the necessity of inserting a place indicatorbetween the adjacent cards to indicate the proper position oi the card.

The body of cards is adapted he; be pressed against the rear end wall ofthe case to main tain the cards in compact condition by a follower orclamp 16, comprising a rectangular block or late of proner dimensions torest upon the ottom of the case and pro ject above the same and toextend between the rod 10 and the op iosite side wall of the case. Theouter side edge ofthis 'fol lower is provided with a groove 17 toreceive the rod 10, and the rear face of said follower is properlyecessed to receive a sliding bolt 18, the free end of which is adaptedto project and travel within a groove 19 in the fixed side wall of thecase. The inner end of this bolt is pivotally connected with a pivotedoperating lever 20, whose upper end extends for manipulation above thefollower, and said lever and follower are normally held rojected posiacoiled spring 21. Ev the action of the bolt is inner wall of the groovetil, the iobow r is clamped between l for adjustment within the case.

This and the pivotal conproyected forcibly;

the fixed wall of the case and the rod 10. By moving the lever 20 in thedirection of the spring, the latter will be compressed and the boltretracted, thus freeing the follower A back or cover plate 22 is securedto the rear face of he follower and covers the'recess therein and thelocking mechanism. This cover is preferably fastened 1:) screws 23, sothat it may be detached to a- 0rd access to the looking mechanism forrepairs when occasion requires.

From the foregoing descri tion, the construction and mode of use 0 myimproved card system will be readily understood, and it will be seenthat it provides a construction affording advantages and a saving oftime inthe operations of applying, removing and inspecting the cards,and in permitting entries to be made upon the cards without thenecessity of wholly detaching the same from the case. The advantage ofthe holders properly preserving the positions of the cards will also beappreciated.

Havin thus fully described what is claimed as new, is

1. A. card system embodying a tile case open at one side, a door closingthe open side and adapted to be let down to a horizontal position, andcard holders slidahly and pivotally mounted within the case and adaptedto be swun outward so that'any card may be dispose upon said door.

2. A card system embodying a file case open atone side, a swinging doorclosing the open side and adapted to be let down to a horizontalposition, holders slidably and the invention,

pivotally mounted within the case and adapted to be swung outwardly uponthe open door, and cards slidably and pivotally mounted upon theholders.

3.'A card system embodying a file case open at one side, a swinging'doorfor closing the open side and adapted to be turned down to a horizontalposition, a rod extend in longitudinally at the base of the open si e, aseries of holders slidabl and pivotally engaging said rod and a opted tobe swung outwardly thereon and cards slidably and pivotally connected atone end with their respective holders.

4. A card system embodying a file case open atone side, a rod extendinglongitudinally at the base of the open side, a swinging door for closingthe open side and adapted to be turned down to a horizontal position, aseries of holders comprising rods having eyes at their lower endsslidably and pivotally engaging the rod and adapted to swing outwardlythereon, and cards each provided at one end with a sleeve slidably andpivotally engaging said holding rods.

5. A card system embodying a file case open at one side. a holding rodextending longitudinally at the base of the open side, locking means forclamfing said follower an outwardly swinging door for closing theagainst said rod and wal 10 open side, a series of holders slidably andIn testimony whereof I aflix my signature plvotally engaging the rod,cards each proin presence of two witnesses. Y

vided with a sleeve at one end pivotally and NICHOLS L. MELANQON.slidably engaging the holders; a follower Witnesses: I slidably mountedbetween said rod and the WM. C. ERNON,

opposite side of the wall of the case, and L. L. SABAT'L

